


Platonic Absolutes

by sparkandwolf (thatnerdemryn)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Alpha Talia Hale, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Creeper Peter Hale, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski are Not Soulmates, Getting to Know Each Other, Hale Pack, Hopeful Ending, Laura Hale & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Laura Hale is a Lesbian, M/M, Past Derek Hale/Paige, Peter Hale is Pushed Out of the Pack, Platonic Soulmates, Pre-Relationship, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29545605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemryn/pseuds/sparkandwolf
Summary: When Stiles first met Laura, there was no doubt in his mind that their soul bond wasn’t meant to be anything but platonic. He had heard of that happening, that the marks on a person’s body could mean they had a soulmate by any meaning of the word, and was momentarily disappointed that his meant a lifetime best friend.Then he realized that Laura was the most incredible woman he had ever met. If it wasn’t for the fact she was very,very, gay, he would’ve fallen in love with her the moment she barged into his life.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Laura Hale & Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 17
Kudos: 217





	Platonic Absolutes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EvanesDust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanesDust/gifts).



> Thank you so much [EvanesDust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanesDust/pseuds/EvanesDust) for the support ♥️ I love your work so much so I hope you enjoy this small token of my appreciation. 
> 
> Evanesdust loves soulmate AU's and had a fantastic idea: What if Stiles' soulmate is platonic and what if it is none other than Laura Hale? He meets Laura's family for the first time, most importantly her surly but attractive brother, Derek, and realizes maybe it's not so bad having a platonic soulmate after all. But hey, I had to throw a little of Derek's traumatic past in there, right?? ;) 
> 
> And another big thank you to [Kai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfpup_4973) for reading this through for me and reassuring me always ♥️

When Stiles first met Laura, there was no doubt in his mind that their soul bond wasn’t meant to be anything but platonic. He had heard of that happening, that the marks on a person’s body could mean they had a soulmate by any meaning of the word, and was momentarily disappointed that his meant a lifetime best friend. Then he realized that Laura was the most incredible woman he had ever met. If it wasn’t for the fact she was very,  _ very _ , gay, he would’ve fallen in love with her the moment she barged into his life. 

Laura took some convincing, though. Stiles helped her through a sexuality crisis - “Maybe I  _ do _ like men.” “Does the fact I have a penis excite you?” “Absolutely not.” “You’re a lesbian, Laura.” - before they settled on getting to know each other before they pushed aside their fated connection as a mistake. Stiles researched and studied until he found a history book on platonic soulmates; a person who was meant to be in your life as a confidant, an unrelenting support, and a shoulder to cry on whenever the other needed it. Stiles could be that for Laura and he wanted to be that for her. 

It was solidified the first time she had him over to her mansion-sized house in the middle of the woods a few miles outside of the town he grew up in. He had heard of the Hale’s - it was hard to not know everyone in such a close-knit town, especially when his dad was the sheriff - and the legacy that they brought to Beacon Hills. The family had been in the town since its founding and there were rumors that Stiles didn’t want to repeat (mostly about incest and immortality) that were quickly stricken from his mind the second he entered their home. 

“Mom, Dad, this is Stiles, my  _ completely platonic _ soulmate,” Laura said carefully as if her family hadn’t believed her the first hundred times she told them. Stiles held out his hand but was quickly pulled into a tight hug that could only be described as motherly. 

“Oh, Mr. Stilinski, it’s so nice to  _ finally _ be introduced to you!” Mrs. Hale said as she held Stiles by his shoulders, shooting a glare at her daughter. “We’ve heard so much about you,” she added with a wink that had Stiles’ face reddening. 

“You have already technically met him, Talia,” Laura’s dad chimed in as he extended his hand to Stiles. He shook it steadily, wincing a bit at the tight squeeze of her father’s hand. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Hale, you have a beautiful home,” Stiles commented cheerfully, grinning at them with teeth shining. 

“Oh, please, son,” Mrs. Hale said with a wave of her hand. “I’m Talia, and my husband here is Evan. You’re gonna be around for the long haul it seems, so you might as well drop the niceties,” Mrs. Hale -  _ Talia _ \- corrected as she made her way into the kitchen area. Laura rolled her eyes and grabbed Stiles’ hand before he could say much more and dragged him further into the living room. 

Stiles glanced around, but his gaze froze on the most beautiful man he had ever seen in his short life. There was no doubt in Stiles’ mind that he was Laura’s brother, the one she had spoken fondly and annoyingly about. They shared the same sharp features and dark hair and he looked just as broody as Laura had described him. The muscles in his back and arms rippled from where he attempted to hang a family photo while their younger sibling directed him with a smirk on her face. 

“C’mon, Derek, I know you’re not straight, but you can at least hang a picture that way!” Laura yelled, her laugh only loudening when her brother -  _ Derek _ \- shot a glare over his shoulder. 

“Like you could do a better job, Lo,” he spat back, letting go on the frame and nodding at it before it fell to the side and swung back and forth. He let out a loud groan and ran a hand through his hair before pointing at his sisters accusingly. “You guys figure it out. I have a pa-- plans with… people,” he said carefully when he finally noticed Stiles in the room. 

“You’ve got a pack meeting with Isaac, Boyd, and Erica,” Stiles corrected with a nonchalant gesture of his hand. Derek gaped at him and then his eyes darted to Laura who was barely containing her delight. 

“You  _ told _ him?” Derek asked, taking a few steps closer to Laura who held up her hands in defense. 

“Hey, I’m stuck with him as much as the rest of us. He already knew about wolves because of his dad so I figured I’d bite the silver bullet and let him in on the family secret,” Laura said with a shrug. 

Derek glanced back over at Stiles before saying, “And he knows not to tell anyone?” Derek said with a heat in his eyes Stiles couldn’t quite explain. The look had his spine tingling with interest. 

“Cross my heart and hope to get mauled by feral werewolves, Sourwolf,” Stiles said with a wink that only seemed to annoy Derek further. 

“He’s harmless, Der. Just give him a chance, okay? We’re  _ fated, _ or so they tell me,” Laura responded, tossing an arm over Stiles’ shoulder and pulling him close. His soul seemed to sing at the acceptance and he settled his arm around her waist happily. 

“Right, well,” Derek began, grabbing a leather jacket that hung from the coat rack, “I’ll be back for dinner because apparently, our mother wants to pull out all the stops to impress the  _ human.” _ Stiles was momentarily offended by the disgust in Derek’s voice but he remembered what Laura had told him about her brother. He took a while to trust people because of some tragic past event but once he did, he would protect that person with his entire life. Stiles admired that more than he could say. 

“Tell the pack I said hi!” Cora called as Derek lifted his arms to put on his coat. Stiles felt disappointment surge through him when he saw the small mark on his hip that could only mean he had a soulmate. Leave it to Stiles to find the most perfect person he could have wished for only to have his dreams squashed before he could even figure out what they meant. 

“I’ll tell  _ Isaac _ you said hello,” Derek teased as he stepped out of the door without hearing Cora curse at him. Although Stiles was pretty sure werewolf hearing was a superpower and that he was just so used to his sisters swearing at him, he didn’t need to respond to win whatever argument he had just started. 

“Got any other family members I need to worry about?” Stiles asked as Laura moved him over to the couch. She shrugged and grabbed the remote, tossing on some dumb reality TV show he had realized Laura found authentic entertainment in. 

“Uncle Peter will probably try to hit on you at dinner, but he’s relatively harmless,” Cora noted from where she had settled on one of the many chairs that littered the living room. 

“Relatively?” Stiles repeated and the girl’s laughter did nothing to relieve his anxiety. 

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was surprisingly normal. Stiles wasn’t sure what to expect when meeting his platonic soulmate’s family, who happened to be made up of supernatural beings, but relaxing definitely hadn’t come to mind. That’s exactly what it had been, though. He lounged on the sofa with Laura, draped over each other the way they usually were - Laura had said it was something about scent and how if he wanted to be protected, he would need the Hale smell on him - and every so often, Cora, Talia, or Evan would come in and get to know Stiles a little more. 

He told them all about his childhood and how he hadn’t changed much since then, which none of them were too surprised about. He recounted memories of his father being the sheriff and his mother and her untimely death, all of which had Talia gazing at him with sympathy that had tied his stomach in knots. In return, they told him stories of their territory battles and how Beacon Hills law enforcement had always worked side by side with them. Stiles was glad there wouldn’t be an issue between their families as he had previously worried. 

Throughout the afternoon, he had to push thoughts of Derek out of his mind. Their interaction had been short and not at all sweet, but something about the man had Stiles’ eyes darting to the door as if waiting for him to return. He said he would be back for their dinner and Talia had just announced that it was about 15 minutes from being done, so his fingers tapped anxiously on his knees as he tried his hardest to breathe. 

“Alright, what the hell is going on with you?” Laura asked once they were alone in the living room. Cora had been tasked to set the table while Talia and Evan worked on finishing the meal and Stiles was all alone with someone who could read him like a book. 

He sighed and said, “I’m a little nervous for this dinner.” It was a lie and judging by the glare that Laura gave him, she sniffed it out immediately. 

“You haven’t been nervous the entire time you’ve been hanging out with my family, so there’s something  _ else, _ ” Laura guessed. Just as Stiles was about to deny, the front door flung open and Stiles shot up from his seat to greet the new guest he had hoped was Derek. He was, once again, disappointed when the person who sauntered in wasn’t the man he was waiting for. 

“Who is this delectable little thing?” The man said and Stiles furrowed his eyebrows in distaste. Laura groaned from beside him and took a protective step forward. 

“This is Stiles. Stiles, my uncle Peter. He’s going to go tell my parents he’s here and stop licking his muzzle in the direction of my soulmate,” Laura said sharply, raising an intimidating eyebrow at Peter. He sighed but relented, floating over to the kitchen without another glance back. “You thought that was gonna be Derek,” Laura accused as she turned toward Stiles and pressed a stiff finger against his chest. 

“I wasn’t expecting your creepy uncle, that much is for sure. What is  _ his _ problem?” Stiles asked as a lame attempt to bring the conversation back away from who he may or may not have hoped was coming through the door. 

“Peter is Peter. Harmless but a lot to get used to,” Laura said with a roll of her eyes. She pushed her finger further into Stiles’ chest and asked, “Were you hoping that was gonna be Derek?” 

Stiles sighed, exasperated, and pushed her hand away. “So what if I  _ did _ ?” Stiles asked heatedly, crossing his arms over his chest. “He’s got a soulmate that isn’t me because I’m stuck with your sorry ass and I’m allowed to find people who look like him attractive.” 

“Derek doesn’t--” She stopped whatever she was about to admit and sighed heavily. “I can’t believe my platonic soulmate has the hots for my brother,” she said with a cringe. Stiles shoved her playfully and Laura’s eyes lit up golden before she pushed him back just a little too hard. He started falling backward, tripping over his feet because his balance was honestly laughable, and braced himself for impact to the hardwood floor. Instead, he fell into a hard wall and warm, solid arms wrapped around his waist. 

“Aren’t you trying to keep the human alive?” Derek’s voice chimed from behind him. Stiles was momentarily stunned by the feeling of Derek’s arms holding up that he forgot how to stand until Derek pushed him back to his feet. He stumbled forward into Laura who growled at him in response. 

“At the moment, I’m debating on just killing him and having him for dinner instead of the pot roast Mom made us,” Laura said with a glare at Stiles. Derek seemed to freeze at Laura’s words which didn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the room. Laura said quickly, “Derek, I didn’t mean--” 

“It’s fine, Lo. I’m gonna go get changed for dinner,” Derek dismissed as he bounded up the stairs. Stiles turned toward Laura and saw an excessive amount of guilt on her face. 

“What was that?” Stiles asked carefully, resting a comforting hand on Laura’s shoulder. Her eyes didn’t stray for the staircase Derek had disappeared from until she shook her head and took a deep breath in. 

“That was me taking our soul bond for granted,” Laura whispered as she pulled Stiles into a tight hug. He could practically feel his bones crush with the force of it and choked out a nervous laugh as he patted Laura on the back. 

“Puny human, here. Can’t take much more of--” Laura let go and Stiles inhaled deeply to catch his breath. Laura glanced at him apologetically before pushing past Stiles to move toward the kitchen. “Wait, Laura, I can feel the guilt echoing off of you. What do you think you did wrong?” Stiles asked, grabbing for Laura’s hand. She shook it away before staring at Stiles with the most serious expression he had ever seen from her. 

“I  _ know _ I did something wrong and I need you to not ask questions, okay? It’s Derek’s story and if he trusts you enough, he’ll tell you,” Laura decided with a nod. Stiles agreed and pulled her in for one more hug before she dragged him to the kitchen. “Ma, Daddio, Derek’s home so we should sit,” she said as if nothing was weighing on her. Stiles wondered if he would ever get used to being so attuned to her vast array of emotions. 

“I hope you like to eat, Stiles, Mom’s made enough to feed an army!” Cora joked as she made her way to the table balancing two plates expertly in her hands. Stiles reached for one to assist her and Cora beamed a smile at him. He took a moment to notice just how beautiful the entire family was and thought that fate must have known he’d never have a chance with Laura which was why their bond was strictly platonic. 

Derek chose that moment to walk in, a much neater outfit on his body. Stiles found himself annoyed at how quickly his heart skipped a beat at the new view. Derek was wearing black jeans that rested snug on his hips and a dark blue t-shirt, but somehow he still looked dressed up. Laura nudged her hip against his and Derek smiled over at her like it was all they needed to forgive and forget. She made her way over to where Stiles stood frozen and flicked at his chin causing him to smack her hand. 

“Close your mouth, Stilinski. Werewolf dens aren’t immune to fly infestations,” Laura teased with a wink. Stiles rolled his eyes at her but made sure his lips were pressed together tightly as he rested the plate on the table. He pulled out the seat beside Laura and before he could sit down, Cora slid into place, thanking Stiles as if he had prepared the chair just for her. 

“I have to sit next to my dad,” Cora supplied as if it was the truth, “since I’m such a daddy’s girl.” Laura cackled beside her and Stiles pretended not to notice the sly smile on Derek’s face from where he had sat down. With Laura and Cora on one side of the table, their parents on either end and Peter taking the only other chair that seemed appropriate for Stiles, he had no choice but to occupy the seat next to Derek. Great. 

The moment he sat down, Peter chimed in, “So, Stiles Stilinski. Tell us more about yourself.” Stiles wasn’t sure how such a normal command sounded so gross coming from Peter’s lips. He glanced around the table and caught Laura’s eyes, hoping the stare was enough of a plea for help for her to intervene. 

“He’s not my  _ boyfriend _ , Uncle Peter. The interrogation isn’t necessary,” she said with an expert roll of her eyes. 

“Then is he single?” Peter asked, staring Laura down like Stiles was some sort of competition. Stiles felt immediately uneasy until Laura’s chest rumbled lowly. 

“Peter, please. The boy has just turned 18,” Talia chastised, but there was no heat in it. Stiles didn’t think it was possible for her to be an alpha with the kindness she had displayed.

“18 means legal big sister,” Peter said as he took a sip of the wine Stiles wasn’t sure he should be drinking. He shuddered when he thought of how even more brash Peter could be with a bottle of wine in his system. “I’m not asking for me, anyway,” Peter said with a shrug, leaning forward to glance over at Derek. 

“Can’t we just have one dinner without you making-- No, wait,” Laura said, interrupting herself as she grabbed a shovel of mashed potatoes, “I take that back. Can’t we just have one dinner without  _ you? _ Full stop.” Peter scowled at her, but Stiles was a little too focused on how he went out of his way to look at Derek. He didn’t know much about werewolves, but there must have been something obvious in the air for Peter to make such a large jump when he had only been in the house for that short of a time. 

“Stiles, we are dying to know,” Talia began as she put way too many peas onto his plate. Her smile was too bright and the food smelled too delicious for him to ask her to stop. “How did your father react when he found out Laura was your soulmate?” 

_ “Platonic _ soulmate,” Laura was quick to interject. Derek huffed out a laugh beside him and Stiles couldn’t help but smile at the sound. 

Stiles ignored the outburst and said, “Well, at first, he was confused. From his history with your family, he was pretty sure Laura was… not interested.”

“Which is  _ very _ true,” Laura interrupted again. Stiles threw a pea at her, ignoring her cry of protest before he continued. 

“Then he was just amused because, and I think this is a direct quote, ‘she’s going to chew you up and spit you out and you’re going to let her’,” Stiles finished with a wink at Cora. She blushed and laughed, hiding her face when her dad shot an accusatory glance at her. 

“Our Laura would  _ never _ ,” Talia said but it was clear in her tone that she figured that’s exactly what would have happened if their soulmate bond was anything more than platonic. Stiles still thought that she was gonna destroy him any chance she got, but she didn’t scare him much anymore. He knew she was secretly looking for acceptance and Stiles was the one to give her that unconditionally. 

“Speaking of spitting,” Peter said with a sly grin on his face. At that comment, Derek’s growl seemed to echo around the room. 

“Peter,” he said so lowly that Stiles almost missed it even though he was sitting right next to Derek. Peter must have heard it loud and clear judging by the way his face turned to stone. It was almost like--

“Of course,  _ Alpha, _ ” Peter spat, slamming his fork down on the plate. “I wouldn’t want to challenge you for a mate again. We all know how that went last time,” Peter said and Stiles was sure he could hear a pin drop with the silence that enveloped the room. Before he could try to break the tension with one of his jokes, Laura shot out of her seat, wielding a steak knife in her hand, and if Stiles had thought she was intimidating before, he was positive of it then. 

“Laura, no.” Stiles almost didn’t recognize the voice as Talia’s, the stern tone and growl that seemed to rumble table so unlike what he had seen from her before. 

“He  _ knows _ it’s off limits, Mom. He’s lucky we even let him in here after what he did to--”

“Laura, enough!” Talia shouted, her eyes flashing red as Laura seemed to crumble back into her seat. Stiles could feel her submission through their bond and it knocked the breath out of him. It wasn’t until Derek’s hand rested on his shoulder that he was able to gulp in enough air to have his head stop spinning. 

“Peter--” Evan spat, but before he could continue, Derek was shaking his head and standing. His eyes darted from each face at the table, skipping Peter’s but lingering a little longer on his than Stiles thought was warranted. There was something about the way Derek’s palm slid from the fabric of his shirt and down his arm before resting at his side that had a chill racing down Stiles’ body. 

“I’m gonna go for a run or-- Just, enjoy your meal,” Derek muttered. He glanced at Stiles and whispered, “It was nice to meet you. I’m glad Laura has--” his breath stuttered, “--has  _ someone. _ ” Stiles nodded and watched Derek until he reached the door, hoping he would glance back so Stiles could take it as an invitation and follow him. His hand hesitated on the doorknob, but he pulled the door open and shut it softly behind him. 

“Mom, as a member of your pack and your  _ daughter,  _ I can’t keep staying silent while Peter hurts my brother,” Laura said, her voice surprisingly steady as her eyes flashed. Talia nodded and held eye contact with Evan like a silent agreement was being made between them. He wondered if that’s how all romantic soulmates were with each other and felt his heart constrict at the fact that may never apply to him. 

Laura was staring at him when he looked away from her parents and he realized they had it, too. He knew every emotion that was swirling around inside of her - the hurt, the sadness, the sheer anger directed at Peter, they want to follow where her brother had disappeared to - like it was his own and rested a hand against the mark on his skin. It was something he had resented for so long when he met Laura and figured out she wouldn’t be the love of his life. He couldn’t find himself to hate it at that moment, though. Not when his heart yearned for Derek and the family he had only just met. 

“I’ve allowed you in this pack, Peter, because you are blood. You are the only family from my past that I have left,” Talia began as she stood, shuffling over to Peter to hold his face in her hands, “but the family that is my future can never accept you as theirs.” Peter blanched at the statement as if he had never thought Talia would say those words. Stiles didn’t have it in him to feel bad after what he had just witnessed. 

“You can’t be serious, Lia. I can’t control how your little  _ brat _ feels about his past. You all treat him as if his past will haunt him forever when I’m merely trying to--” 

“Enough,” Talia whispered. Even with the soft tone of her voice, Stiles knew she wouldn’t let him keep speaking. “Peter Hale, you are no longer allowed on the territory of the Beacon Hills Pack, as proclaimed by the Alpha, Talia Hale.” 

Howls erupted through the room and Stiles thought he heard a distant sorrowful one from outside. Laura’s heart burst in her chest and Stiles felt it from where he had pushed back his seat away from the siblings. He shot a glance at her out of the corner of his eye and saw tears bubbling in them. He wasn’t sure he would ever see Laura emotional, but he was glad the first time was for family. Fate had gotten something right when he paired them, Stiles thought happily. 

“I’ll be gone by midnight,” Peter choked out, and then he was gone. The room silenced like a dark cloud had suddenly appeared and Talia dropped into her seat with a sigh. 

“Mom, I--” Laura began, but Talia’s eyes flashed red. Stiles didn’t see anger in them as he expected. He wasn’t quite sure what had just happened, but from what he had heard from Laura, Peter was the worst person she had ever met and Stiles was glad to be rid of him. Talia might not feel the same as he was family and Stiles couldn’t imagine the pain she must have felt. 

“Derek?” Cora nodded and closed her eyes, her chin tilting down slowly. Stiles knew she was listening for him, trying to sense his mood and whereabouts with her werewolf ability. He would have been impressed if he wasn’t still shocked. 

“He’s at the treehouse,” Cora whispered as she stood. “I can--”

“Can I?” Stiles asked, shooting up from his seat. All four eyes locked on his and he wasn’t sure who to look at it. The bond pulsing on his skin had him subconsciously choosing Laura, which he figured he would have to get used to. “I just-- I don’t know what happened. I don’t need an explanation,” Stiles said quickly as all of their mouths moved to open, “but I would like to talk to Derek. You all saw what I did and for some reason he… trusts me. Can I be the one to make sure he’s okay?”

Talia nodded slowly and rested her hand on Laura’s as if to calm her. He could feel her confusion and what he thought might be jealousy, but he brushed it aside. If he wanted answers, Derek was going to be the one to give them to him. That much was made clear in the last few minutes. 

“Where do I go?” Stiles asked as he reached the door. Laura considered answering him, but Cora beat her to it. 

“Behind the house. Walk directly straight for about a minute and it’ll be on your right. It’s the only treehouse out there,” Cora said. Stiles winked back at her and a blush covered her cheeks as she waved him away. He sent one more glance at Laura and was surprised by her encouraging nod before he shut the door behind him. 

He wasn’t sure what he would say and that was his first problem. He could tell Derek that Peter was kicked out, but by the howl he had heard in the woods, he had already made the connection. He would ask Derek what the hell just happened, but Stiles wasn’t sure brazen was the way to go with Derek. Maybe he would just sit next to him and wait for Derek to do the talking. He thought about that option for a second before remembering the countless times Laura ran conversations with him and he was happy to listen. If he recalled correctly, that day was the first time he had actually heard a full sentence out of Derek in the time he had known Laura. 

All too suddenly, Stiles realized just how different they were. He didn’t know what he felt for Derek or what the night had started, but he wasn’t the kind of person to let it go. He figured Derek might be, but if he thought that Stiles was going to leave without having answers, he had another thing coming. 

“I can hear you thinking from all the way up here,” Derek’s voice split through the silence of the forest. Stiles jumped and held in the yelp that threatened to escape his lips. He heard a small huff of laughter from above and flinched when a rope ladder dropped a few feet in front of him. 

“I thought it was gonna be a lot harder to convince you to let me up there,” Stiles said, huffing as he attempted to climb the rope. He wasn’t out of shape by any means, but climbing was never something he was good at. He remembered being almost as uncoordinated as Erica on the rope at school before she got the bite. 

“You seem like the type that would find his way up even if I didn’t want you here,” Derek noted as he threw his hands on the wooden platform to pull himself fully into the house. He took a deep breath in and sat up so he was facing Derek. He was surprised to see peace in his light eyes that reflected the sunset out the side of the treehouse beautifully. 

“Do you want me here?” Stiles asked carefully, moving to glance at the view. It was breathtaking and not at all what Stiles had expected. The placement was perfect for the sunset peeking through the large trees that surrounded the preserve and shined off the small pond Stiles hadn’t known was hidden behind their home. “Wow,” he couldn’t stop himself from whispering. Derek nodded in agreement and leaned back on his hands. 

After a few moments of silence, Derek said, “I’m not gonna kick you out.” It wasn’t exactly the answer he had wanted, but it was kinder than he expected. He settled back on his hands, matching Derek’s position as they watched the sun fall behind the trees together. “I’m sorry for what happened,” Derek whispered. The admission shocked Stiles more than almost anything had that night. First, because Derek didn’t strike him as an apologetic type, and second, because Derek thought he had anything to apologize  _ for. _

“Your Uncle Peter is a real dick,” Stiles said before he could stop himself. He slammed his palm over his mouth, but before he could apologize, Derek’s laughter filled the air. Stiles pushed back the way his heart seemed to always stutter at the sound. 

“Yeah,” Derek agreed, “he really is.” 

There were a few moments of silence that Stiles used to think of what he could possibly say next. It was obvious there was a story as to why Laura reacted so strongly to Peter and that it was enough to cast Peter out of the town and out of the pack. Stiles didn’t know much about werewolf politics other than what he gathered from the files he had snuck peeks at in the past, but that wasn’t something that was taken lightly. Derek sighed heavily next to him and cleared his throat as darkness fell over them. Stiles was sad to see the sunset disappear, but the stars that started sparkling through the sky almost made the disappearing view worth it. 

“Do you love Laura?” Derek asked and Stiles choked at the question. 

He sputtered out, “Excuse me?” Derek sighed again, more annoyed that time, and turned toward Stiles. 

“I know you’re her soulmate--”

“Platonic,” Stiles interrupted before Derek could finish. Derek shot him a deadly glare which had him pressing his lips together nervously. 

“Even platonic soulmates must feel love for one another, right?” Stiles was a bit scared to speak, so he nodded his head and couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at his lips. “I love Laura, too. She’s my sister, but more than that, she’s the most stubborn, hard headed, independent, kind,  _ strong _ woman I’ve ever had in my life.” Stiles nodded quickly in return. Laura was the best and they undoubtedly agreed on that. 

“There are times when I wish our bond wasn’t platonic,” Stiles began and Derek’s raised eyebrow told him his interpretation of Stiles’ admission was a lot different than Stiles meant. “No, no, no, I don’t wanna like  _ bang _ your sister, man,” Stiles said, but at Derek’s blank look, he realized those weren’t exactly the most comforting words either. “What I  _ mean _ to say,” Stiles took a deep breath, “is that your sister was a surprise to me. Our connection is stronger than I’ve seen with even the most romantic of soulmates. I’m here for the long haul whether you or your family - or anyone else for that matter - like it or not.” 

He said the words with such conviction, he hoped Derek heard the sincerity in them. Even if Derek wasn’t going to bear his soul right then and there to someone he had really just met, he needed Derek to know that he would find out eventually. Derek would trust Stiles implicitly and it was only a matter of time. He had wormed his way into Laura’s life, charmed her into loving him right back, and he would do the same to Derek because he _ had to _ . 

It might have been the way his stomach seemed to tremble or the way his heart clenched in his chest or even the way that being so close to Derek with only the night sky giving them any semblance of light had his entire body shivering, as if it anticipated his entire life changing. It could have been the way Derek was watching him so carefully, like he was deciding if Stiles was telling the truth, or the way his shoulders relaxed when he saw whatever he was searching for in Stiles’ gaze. 

“Our family hasn’t had the best luck when it comes to soulmate bonds,” Derek began and Stiles let out the breath he was all too aware he was holding. “My mom never had a soulmate and she was happy about it until she met my dad. His soulmate was the love of his life and my mom sat back and befriended them because she wanted him in her life. When he lost his soulmate to a rogue wolf, he didn’t know how to move on. My mom helped him through it and even though they weren’t fated, they ended up together with the same amount of love most soulmates feel for each other.” 

Stiles nodded and whispered, “That’s incredibly romantic.” Derek laughed in return and shook his head. 

“They had their battles. Mom was an alpha werewolf and dad had barely just been bitten. It was tough for them but they believed that soulmate bonds weren’t the be all end all to how much love someone had to give. It was the only thing that got me through when I--” Derek cleared his throat and Stiles could hear the tears building in his throat. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Stiles whispered, reaching over to rest his hand on top of Derek’s softly. It was so similar to the way Derek comforted him during dinner and Stiles’ mind reeled with what it could mean. They had only known each other for a few hours at most and they both had eased into comforting one another already. It surprised and intrigued Stiles, but his mind was too focused on the trust that Derek was displaying as he shook his head abruptly. 

“Like you said, you’re here to stay whether we like it or not, right?” Stiles nodded and said nothing further, urging Derek to continue with a squeeze of his hand. “I met my soulmate in high school. Her name is-- was Paige. I knew I was one of the lucky ones to meet my soulmate so early in life. We had the rest of forever to spend with each other and I was so in love with her.” Derek let out a choked laugh and ran his free hand through his hair. He didn’t try to remove his hand from underneath Stiles’ but turned it over instead. Stiles traced the lines of his palm with his fingertips delicately. 

“So fate got it right?” Stiles asked with a smile. 

Derek nodded and continued, “Everyone thought we were perfect for each other. I was extroverted and sporty, she was more introverted and loved to lock herself in a room to practice her cello. I thrived on time spent with my friends and she loved spending time with just me. We were the definition of opposites attract and we--” He broke off with another shake of his head. “I believed in soulmates just as much as the next person, but I also knew that sometimes fate was wrong.

“I mean, I looked at my parents and how much they loved each other and I would never cheapen that the way others had, but fate had perfected the match between Paige and I. Before we even graduated, we were planning our future together.” He went quiet, staring up at the stars like they held all the answers to a question Stiles was too afraid to ask. The silence in the air was heavy and Stiles broke it with a hefty breath. 

“What happened?” Stiles asked softly, lacing his fingers with Derek to try and provide whatever comfort he could. Derek’s small smile warmed Stiles’ heart as he waited for the story he had been intrigued to hear. 

“Peter happened,” Derek spat before taking a deep breath. “He is only a few years older than me and he set his sights on Paige, too. Even though she was my soulmate, he was sure that her kindness meant that  _ they _ should be together so he challenged me for her. Soulmate bonds aren’t just for werewolves…” Derek trailed off, gesturing toward Stiles who huffed out a laugh. 

“Obviously,” he agreed with a scrunch of his nose. 

“But werewolves take them more seriously than humans. We mate for life more times than not, but Peter grew up with his sister and her husband defying all of the odds and he just couldn’t let it go.” Stiles could tell that even recalling the event was becoming too much for Derek to handle and opened his mouth to stop him. He didn’t need to hear more if it meant that Derek would continue sounding as broken as he did. Derek squeezed Stiles' hand and leveled him with an almost pleading glance.

“Okay,” Stiles muttered as he prepared himself for what he thought would be a tragic story. 

Derek sat up a little straighter and squeezed Stiles’ hand tighter before he started again, “Peter wasn’t born with a soul mark and to him, that meant his mate was his choosing. It didn’t matter that the person standing in his way was his family - someone I considered my best friend - he was blinded by the  _ good _ that Paige was that he would never be. Paige didn’t want to tear us apart, but I didn’t realize at that time just how much. She was going to leave Beacon Hills and break our bond so that our family, our  _ pack, _ wouldn’t be broken. That wasn’t on her, but that’s just who she was a person, you know?” 

“She sounds selfless,” Stiles commented and that made Derek smile again which Stiles was grateful for. 

“She was. And Peter was the opposite. He was waiting outside of her house when she walked out with her bags packed and they had an argument. He said it was innocent - that he was begging her to stay with him - and somehow, the tripped and her head slammed against the stonewall lining her driveway.” Derek shuttered and Stiles had to hold back all of the questions he had. Did he think Peter murdered her? Did he see her? Did he get to say  _ goodbye? _

He stayed mostly silent, muttering a brief, “I’m sorry.” As if it would do anything to ease Derek’s pain. 

“I hated Peter, but he was family and one of the only blood pack members my mother had left. I saw her struggle with the decision to exile him back then and I can’t imagine the hurt she is feeling right now,” Derek said, guilt clear in his tone. He pressed his hand against his heart and Stiles felt his own tightening in his chest. 

“He doesn’t deserve to be here with you,” Stiles said and the words were angrier than he had meant them to be. “I’ve known Laura for a while and the rest of you for only a night, but I knew from the second I met you that the tragedy you went through hasn’t broken you.” Derek looked as if he was about to argue and Stiles took a chance, resting his free palm on Derek’s cheek. He was surprised to find it dry as even Stiles’ eyes were tearing at the story. 

“I tried for so long to push aside the pain and anger I felt toward Peter, but for some reason, I feel ashamed that my past is what tore my family apart,” Derek admitted, looking anywhere but Stiles’ face. The hand that rested on Derek’s cheek pushed just enough for their eyes to connect and Stiles tilted his head consideringly at Derek. 

“ _ Peter _ tore your family apart by ripping Paige away from you. And from what I saw tonight, he continued to poke and prod at your happiness in order to prove that he was somehow superior. You have done nothing but forgive someone I never would have. In fact,” Stiles said, clearing his throat, “I probably would have punched the guy if it wasn’t for the fact I was meeting your parents for the first time.”

Derek’s laughter was real and raw, only slightly drowned by unshed tears as he asked, “Oh, yeah? What makes you think you would have done any damage?” Stiles considered the question and shrugged. 

“I wouldn’t have made a  _ dent _ in him. But I’ve been told I’m good at provoking people so best case scenario, he would have gone after me and I had at least 4 werewolves ready to attack when he did,” Stiles said with a coy smile. Derek shook his head and reached up to take Stiles’ hand on his face in his own. 

“We wouldn’t have let anything happen to you,” Derek admitted and Stiles knew it was the truth. 

“Yeah, you wouldn’t have. Just like you wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to Paige and how even through your own suffering, you didn’t let it tear your family apart,” Stiles urged. Stiles was sure if he could see Derek more clearly, there would be a blush on his cheeks and the thought made him a bit giddy even with the heavy conversation behind them. “Look, I don’t know you yet, and there was a while in there where I thought I never would,” Stiles began, holding Derek’s hands tightly in his, “but I would like to. I mean, I know what is possibly the most traumatic thing that ever happened to you, so we can only go up from here, right?” Derek smiled wider and Stiles grinned right back. 

“I don’t see the harm in that,” Derek muttered. He stood up slowly, gesturing to the opening of the treehouse for Stiles to make his way down. “I can hear Laura pacing from out here. We should…” Stiles took Derek’s outstretched hand in his and nodded. 

“Yeah…” Stiles trailed off, pulling Derek back to facing him when he started to drop the ladder. “Hey, Derek?” Stiles asked, gulping when he saw the moonlight reflecting in Derek’s eyes. 

“Stiles,” Derek whispered and Stiles thought that he could get used to Derek saying his name like that. It was soft and sultry when he wasn’t even trying. Stiles briefly considered how it would sound when he  _ did _ try. 

“Thank you for telling me,” Stiles said, his lips pulling back into a shy smile before he could stop them. Derek huffed out what sounded like a relieved laugh and squeezed Stiles’ hand in his. 

“Laura’s lucky to have you,” Derek responded, but Stiles knew it was as much of a thank you as Derek could probably give. 

“Well, I’m feeling pretty lucky, too,” Stiles muttered as he watched Derek lower himself from the treehouse. He was grateful that his extremely platonic soulmate was Laura because that meant he would never be rid of Derek. Derek who he could see becoming friends with, who he could see annoying until he was red in the face, who he could see himself falling in love with… “Yeah, I’m  _ really _ lucky.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I have a [Tumblr](https://sparkandwolf.tumblr.com) specifically for my Sterek obsession so feel free to follow it for updates and snippets and other Sterek content and use my ask to send me prompts, coda ideas, or just scream with me about Sterek. 
> 
> Also, feel free to follow my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemryn) and let me know what you think. 
> 
> Please, please, please let me know your thought in the comments and leave kudos if you enjoyed it!


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